1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to orthopedic devices and in particular ankle braces and more particularly to ankle braces which allow flexing of the ankle forward and backward, plantar-flexion and dorsiflexion, while preventing the ankle from flexing inward or outward, inversion or eversion, in order to promote healing of an injured ankle or prevent injury to an injury prone ankle during exercise. Particularly, the present invention relates to orthopedic devices and ankle braces which have a removable or detachable single piece hinge.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Ankle injuries are among the most common injuries in sports. In order to protect the ankle, many athletes have wrapped the ankle area with adhesive tape. The application of tape is expensive both because it is time consuming and because of the tape itself. It is also not very effective because the tape loosens quickly after exercise has begun. The use of exercise tape has also been shown to weaken ankles if used over a long period of time because it causes a loss of plantarflexion and dorsiflexion.
When an ankle is injured, the traditional method for promoting healing is to apply pressure to the area to reduce swelling and to prevent lateral movement of the ankle. The method of applying pressure to the ankle limits the range of motion over the ankle. When large areas are covered by a compression device, the material in contact with the foot must be fairly flexible or soft, such as an elastic bandage or an air bag, in order to avoid discomfort to the wearer and provide the amount of flexibility and movement required for athletic flexing of the ankle joint. This severely limits the amount of pressure that can be applied to the injury site in order to reduce the swelling caused by the ankle injury. An additional drawback found when air bag type devices are utilized is that the ankle and foot directly contact the bag in order to move, causing irritation of the skin. This irritation may be caused from the friction incurred by such contact which, in turn generates heat which is not desirable to add to a swollen area of the body.
Another treatment method is to exercise the joint to promote healing. Exercise brings greater blood flow to the area and prevents the atrophy of the muscles involved. The current trend in medicine is to promote exercise as soon as possible. However, in traditional treatment methods, the ankle could not be properly exercised until after the compression device was removed thereby greatly delaying the exercise therapy. It is therefore desirable to provide an orthopedic device which allows exercise of the injury site while additionally resisting mobility in the direction which would irritate the injury.
As indicated, one method to promote healing of the ankle is preventing lateral movement of the ankle thereby allowing forward and backward flexing but preventing inward and outward flexing. The wearing of an ankle brace provides such protection while preventing inflammation of the injured ankle areas. Visually this forward and backward flexing is based upon a brace which is hinged in such a way to pivot backwards and forwards.
Most prior art devices that provide for pivoting of the ankle in addition to providing lateral support thereof are connected at the pivot point by an undetachable hinge or rivet. This type of non-detachable but pivotable connection between the stirrup and the pivot legs proves burdensome in both manufacturing and wearability issues. During manufacturing, when a rivet or other metal pivoting joint needs to be applied, a secondary assembly and additional attachment steps is required to inner-connect the separate portions of the ankle brace. Additionally, from the wearer""s perspective, these types if pivoting joints add bulk and weight to the ankle brace.
The present invention provides an ankle brace which pivots along the same axis as the ankle and which has an easily separable, non-permanent single piece pivoting hinge.
The ankle brace of the present invention incorporates an ankle brace having a stirrup which is pivotally connected to an inner and outer pivot leg in combination with an adjustable strap positioning fastener for protecting and exercising an injured ankle. The hinge connection between the inner and outer legs of the stirrup and the inner and outer pivot legs is a single piece hinge minimizing the content of the overall brace and simplifying the overall construction of the ankle brace. The adjustable strap positioning means acts to firmly attach the pivoting legs of the ankle brace to the wearer. On the interior of the inner and outer pivot leg is attached softening pads which are secured to said pivot legs by VELCRO or other attachment means.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the deficiencies outlined above. It is a further object of the present invention to remove the assembly step traditionally required for pivoting ankle braces wherein a metal rivet or other permanent pivoting joint is required. It is a further object of the present invention to remove the hardware and extra weight present in prior art ankle braces.
More particularly, the present invention includes an ankle brace to be worn by a wearer to prevent ankle injury or encourage healing of an injured ankle, including a heel stirrup having a flat base portion and an inner and outer upright leg, inner and outer pivot legs which are pivotally attached to the inner and outer legs along inner and outer pivot points respectively.
Another object of the present invention is to provide axial movement of the ankle while additionally providing lateral support in order to prevent inversion or eversion of the ankle. It is a further object of the present invention to provide the greatest possible flexing of the ankle forward and backwards while keeping the pivot point of the ankle brace detachable yet providing significant lateral support and protection.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an ankle brace which allows flexing of the ankle forward and backwards, while also providing interchangeable parts for the stirrup portion of the brace and the individual pivot leg members.
The use of the ankle brace of the present invention provides the optimum combination of pressure applied to the injured area to reduce swelling and flexibility of the joint to permit exercise which promotes healing and reduces muscle atrophy. In this way a single brace provides the benefits both of a compression strategy and an exercise strategy to promote healing while protecting the ankle from further injury.
The present invention provides an ankle brace which meets all of the objectives outlined above. The present invention has a stirrup portion which is pivotally connected to inner and outer pivot legs, said pivot legs having on the interior thereof softening pads for compression directly against the wearer""s leg or ankle. Additionally, a connecting strap is provided for tightening the inner and outer pivot legs in combination with the softening pads directly against the leg while also providing a unique single piece pivoting or attachment hinge which allows for a maximum forward and backward flexing while also providing significant lateral support for the ankle. The single piece hinge of the present invention does not utilize rivets or other metallic hinge means which are commonly found in prior art braces. The hinge of the present invention utilizes a pivot button located on a flexing tab which is inserted into a thickened head portion of each upright leg of the stirrup. The stirrup and pivot legs of the ankle brace described herein are fully detachable from each other yet provide for a simple and rotatable attachment means which will not become easily detached through athletic activity.